Winter Previews: Gray-New Gloucester

Boys BasketballCoach: Ryan DeschenesLast year’s record: 10-10, fell in tournament quarterfinalsKey players returning: Josiah Rottari (sr., G); Zac Brady (sr., C/F); Oliver Grant (sr., G); John Martin (jr., G); Hunter Colby (jr., C); Ryan LaChance (jr., F); Josh Magno (jr., G)Key matchups: Dec. 8 @ Lake Region, Dec. 15 vs. Freeport, Jan. 11 vs. Yarmouth, Jan. 19 @ Wells, Jan. 30 vs. Fryeburg, Feb. 6 vs. CapeOutlook: “We return four starters and seven players who were in our rotation at some point during the season from last year,” says Deschenes. “We are hoping to take the next step in our development this season. As always, we face a challenging schedule in the WMC. There will be no nights off and we will have to be at our best each game. Yarmouth and Cape should be the co-favorites, and we expect to be in the mix after them with many other good teams.” Martin, a First-Team All-Conference pick last winter, is the Patriots’ foremost weapon. He led the WMC in three-pointers in ’16-’17, and will no doubt only be 12 months stronger, this time around. Rottari is no slouch from downtown either; he was fifth in threes in the WMC last year, and can be expected to drop in some beauties between now and February. There’s good height on this roster as well: Brady is 6-foot-6, Colby 6-foot-5, LaChance 6-foot-4, and Martin 6-foot-2; so the team should fare well at tip-off and beneath the basket too. “We expect our post play to be consistent and open things up,” Deschenes says, “and have a goal of playing inside-out via post entries or paint touches through penetration. We have a nice blend of speed, length, size and quickness. We have to emphasis the defensive side and adjust to a few changes we have made. It should be a fun season and we have a great group of high-character kids who will get better as the season goes on and we expect to be playing in the tournament in February.” G-NG fans would be well-served to turn out regularly for this team; they were fun to watch last year, and are likely to put on an even better show with more experience under their belts.

Girls BasketballCoach: Mike Andreasen (seventh year)Last year’s record: 21-1, Class B State ChampionsKey players lost: Grace Kariotis (G), Alicia Dumont (G), Izzy DeTroy (F), Skye Conley (C)Key athletes returning: Bri Jordan (jr.), Alexa Thayer (jr.), Michaela Ryan (jr.), Jordan Grant (so.)Key newcomers: Chelsea Davis (jr., G/F); Madysen West (so., PG); Abigail Michaud (so., G); Samantha Fortin (so., F); Eliza Hotham (so., F)Key matchups: Lake Region, Greely, Poland, Freeport, Fryeburg, York, WellsOutlook: Graduation last June did a number on G-NG’s lineup, claiming two-thirds of the team’s offensive output in Kariotis, Dumont, DeTroy and Conley. This year’s Lady Patriots are therefore young, with no seniors whatsoever on the roster; still, there’s talent here. Jordan, for instance: “Jordan is the main returnee and will be counted on to carry much of the load,” Andreasen says. Jordan averaged 10.0 points per game last winter, as well as 5.2 rebounds per game and 3.1 assists per game. And then there’s Grant, who “gained much experience a year ago serving as the team’s sixth man,” as Andreasen puts it. Grant averaged 5.4 ppg and 3.9 rpg in ’16-’17. “The Patriots will be athletic and hope to play a full-court game employing a fast break. After a tough initial stretch with away games at Lake Region, York and Freeport, the team hopes to improve as the season progresses.”

Girls Hockey (a co-op with Greely)Coaches: Nate Guerin (head), Matt Roy (asst.)Key players returning: Courtney Sullivan (sr., F); Bridget Roberts (sr., F); Molly Horton (sr., F)Key newcomers: Leah Walker (so., D); Camilla Lattanzi (fr., D); Maddie Pelletier (fr., F)Outlook: “Led by Sullivan and Roberts, we will be competitive against everyone this season,” Guerin says. “Our goal is to get our less-experienced players adjusted to the speed of our game as quickly as possible so that we can be a threat to the top teams in the state in February. It’s an exciting group to coach because there is a wide disparity in ability but a common expectation on 100% effort and accountability for all players. If the group can continue to mesh and support each other, the sky’s the limit.”

Indoor TrackCoaches: Todd Mercer (head), Mike Griffin (asst.), Tammi Maclean (asst.), Scott Espling (asst.), Jeff Amos (asst.)Key athletes lost: Emma MacCallumKey athletes returning: Andrew Peterson, Nate Gendreau, Ethan Roy, Emily Brewer, Madison Post, Jaley Martin, Lindey Pierce, Jasmine French, Eliza Larivee, Alison MacDonald, Erica SchlichtingKey newcomers: Daniel Stash, Nicole Cobb, Madison Soule, Zoe BarnesKey matchups: Jan. 26 vs. York, Greely; WMCsOutlook: The Patriots track program is doing well for itself; this year’s roster is more than 80 long. “We have a lot to work with,” Mercer says. The girls squad has been particularly strong in recent years, and having only lost one standout — MacCallum — to graduation last June, they should look feisty again this winter. “We have some great returning workers on the girls team,” Mercer says, “with athletes like Emily Hargraves, Madison Garcia, Abby Chandler, Emily Terranova and Lilly Wilson. With a good season, any one of these ladies could be impactful at the State level, either individually or in a relay.”